Setting Goals

The best way to get the most out of your Squads experience is to set goals for yourself to reach during the 12 weeks you’re in the Squad. We’ve developed a resource to help you map this out: The Squad Goals Worksheet: print it here.


You should feel free to journal throughout the program or use other goal setting resources that you are comfortable with.


Whatever you use, make sure that you check in with your Goals at the beginning of the program, once during the program, and after the Squads experience concludes for you.



Time to set aside

 

Time Duration

Task Description

How often

15 minutes 

Before your weekly meeting:

  • Make sure the Zoom link works

  • Review your notes from last session & any notes for this session

  • Prepare to take more notes during the session (on a notebook, Google doc, etc.)

1x per week


30 - 45 minutes

Participating in your weekly Squad meeting:

  • Discuss with your Squad, ask questions, be present

1x per week

1 hour

Before your Hot Seat:

  • Follow the guidelines outlined in the Hot Seat Prep Guide

  • Fill out the Hot Seat Worksheet 

  • Feel free to write specific notes about what you’d like to discuss so you make sure you use your limited time wisely.

1x during the 12 weeks

1 hour

Prep for Hot Topics:

  • Read the associated resources and set aside time to explore other related resources

  • Take notes on what you learned

    • Include specific things that you’d like to discuss during the meeting

1-4x during the 12 weeks 

*Note: This will vary for each Squad




How to communicate

Communication is one of the most important parts of participating in your Squad for a few reasons:

  • Building trust/ developing a valuable relationship: The only way you’ll be able to give and get valuable advice from your Squad is to develop a level of trust, and that takes time.

  • Staying on task: If you are disorganized and undependable in your communication with your Squad, it’s unrealistic to expect yourself to attain the goals you set out for yourself in the beginning of the Squad Cycle.

  • Making your time worth it: We want you to get something valuable out of this experience that you can bring with you moving forward in your career, and the only way to do that is to communicate often and communicate clearly with your Squad.


How will you communicate with your Squad?

  • Use the Group conversation for most things

    • Avoid email if you can: Many people don’t want others to have access to their email, and we value everyone’s privacy here. Consistency for the group is important, and making people move from email thread to Group Conversation and back and forth contributes to confusion, not cohesion.

  • Direct message one person via Conversations if:
    • You need to miss a meeting - let your Mod know so she can make arrangements/ know not to expect you
    • Any private messages you wish to discuss with only one other person in the Squad
  • During the live meeting via Zoom:

    • This is where most of your communication will take place

    • This is where you problem solve together, share anecdotes, deal with issues, discuss Hot Topics and Hot Seats

  • On Notes:

    • Since there are no recordings of the Squad meetings due to privacy, make sure you or the Squad Mod keep track of relevant things on the notes including:

      • Resources you shared
      • Hot Seater’s goals & next steps
      • Common themes and challenges you notice among the group
      • Any notes/ important things you’d like to remember about the Hot Topic (generally these are taken from the Ellevate resources about the Hot Topic)